Simulation of quantum cascade lasers

• Published in: Journal of applied physics 2011-11, Vol.110 (9), p.093109-093109-7
• Main Authors: Li, Z.-M. Simon, Li, Ying-Ying, Ru, Guo-Ping
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0021-8979; 1089-7550
• DOI: 10.1063/1.3660207

We report a simulation of quantum cascade lasers based on the integration of a number of optoelectronic models on both microscopic and macroscopic scales. On the microscopic scale, quantum mechanical computation was performed to find the quantization states and a rate equation approach was used to compute the optical gain. On the macroscopic scale, we solved the drift-diffusion equations with modification of current density to account for long-range carrier transport, including quantum tunneling, mini-band tunneling, and hot carrier transport. Multiple lateral optical modes were computed by solving a scalar wave equation as an eigenvalue problem. Finally, multiple lateral mode laser cavity photon rate equations were solved with the drift-diffusion equations in a self-consistent manner to predict the lasing characteristics of a quantum cascade laser. The simulation compared the integrated models with experimental data from a number of AlInGaAs/InP systems with variable quantum wells and at different temperatures. Reasonable agreements with experiments have been obtained for both electrical and lasing characteristics.